


Chip On Your Shoulder

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Derek Hale is a Softie, Derek With Dogs, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Good Theo Raeken, Living Together, M/M, Pining Theo Raeken, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15604992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Theo moves in with Derek after the war. It's an easy situation. They know how to give each other space and respect the other's privacy. It's also surprisingly domestic. It only gets worse when Derek brings home a dog and calls it theirs.





	Chip On Your Shoulder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xTarmanderx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/gifts).



> This is for Tara, who is amazing and has fallen into the Therek spiral ♥

The thing about Derek Hale that not many people realize is that he’s a big softie. Sure, he can glare hard enough to send people scurrying away with their tail between their legs, but that’s just a front. Theo knows that.

He figured that out the first night he met Derek and rather than glaring at him and telling him to move his truck off his property he’d just offered him a place to crash. Theo hadn’t taken it. He’d been too proud to do it. But Derek just told him the offer was on the table if he ever wanted it. Theo had been confused when he’d squeezed his shoulder and gave him an all too understanding smile before heading back inside.

It only took Theo a week before he was knocking on Derek’s door. He’d insisted on paying rent, telling Derek he wasn’t just going to be some charity case. Derek had told him it wasn’t necessary but he understood if that’s what he wanted. He even offered to help Theo find a job with decent hours. Which is how he wound up working the front desk at the Sheriff’s station on nights and weekends when he wasn’t at school.

It’s surprisingly easy living with Derek. He knows how to give Theo space and respect his privacy and Theo is more than willing to offer him the same consideration. They form a routine of sorts, without even really meaning to. Whoever gets home first at night will usually make dinner and the other will clean up after. Though most nights they wind up helping each other clean up just to get it over with faster, leaving time to watch something on TV before they have to head to bed.

Another thing Theo figures out by complete accident is that Derek loves to cuddle. He starts nodding off one night while they’re watching a movie and his head winds up resting on Derek’s arm. Before he knows it that arm is moving around his shoulder and his head is resting on Derek’s chest. He tries to move away, an apology forming on his lips, but Derek tighten his hold.

“No it’s okay,” Derek tells him, his hand running up and down Theo’s arm. “I don’t mind it.”

“Should have known you’d like to cuddle,” Theo mumbles sleepily.

Derek doesn’t tense or still. He just huffs out a laugh, “I love to cuddle. Just with the right people.”

Theo wants to question it. He wants to ask if he’s included in that. But it’s clear that he is. Derek could have moved him off or woken him up but instead he’d pulled him closer and asked him to stay. Which is something Theo is still getting used to. Where so many people push Theo away or hold him at arm's length Derek is there keeping him close.

One night Theo walks into the house, his stomach rumbling at the promise of a good meal. Except he doesn’t smell food cooking. He knows Derek is home. His car was parked outside and he can hear his heartbeat in the living room. Except when he listens closely Theo realizes Derek isn’t alone and the house smells different. Like _dog._

Theo’s brow furrows as he kicks off his shoes, walking further into the house. “Der? Is someone…?” Theo stills when he rounds the corner. Derek is there alright, but he’s not alone. Resting on his shoulder is a husky.

“Dog?”

Derek grins over at him as he reaches back and rubs behind the dog’s ears, “Yeah. I got a call from one of my friends at the shelter about him. He’s been there a while and they were having trouble homing him for some reason. Apparently people only want puppies. I went down to meet him and we just clicked.”

“I can see that,” Theo says. He smiles and walks up to Derek and the dog. Theo half expects the dog to growl when he reaches up to pet him but he simply wags his tail. “Does he have a name?”

“Chip,” Derek says, “And I think he likes you.”

“What’s not to like?” Theo smirks.

“Nothing,” Derek says, his voice soft. Theo’s not sure he means to say it but if he notices it doesn’t bother him. He just smiles at Theo and moves to put Chip down. “I forgot about dinner,” Derek tells him. “I got home with Chip just before you got in and didn’t have a chance to make anything.”

Theo shrugs, “It’s okay. I’m sure we have something I can whip up really fast.”

“You’re sure?” Derek asks.

Theo grins over his shoulder as he makes his way into the kitchen, “Yeah I’m sure. You spend some time with your dog.”

“Our dog,” Derek corrects him, bending down next to Chip. He starts petting him again, “Isn’t that right boy? You’re _our_ dog.”

 _Our dog_. Not only did Derek get a dog but he wants it to be theirs, not just his. Theo isn’t sure how to feel about that. It makes him nervous in a way because of just how much he wants that. He wants a life with Derek living in the big house with the two of them owning a dog and cuddling and making dinner together. Theo’s pulling a pan for pizza out of the cabinet when it hits him that they have all of that already. The pan goes clattering to the ground and Theo just stands there, staring straight ahead.

He’s brought out of his thoughts when Chip barks and then Derek’s voice sounds, “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, sorry. It must have slipped out of my hand,” Theo says, hoping that Derek doesn’t pick up on the obvious lie, or at least doesn’t comment on it.

Theo looks over to see him on his back with Chip on top of him, tail wagging as he licks at a laughing Derek’s face. Derek turns his grin on him, his face so open and happy. Theo knows he’s doomed.

He thinks maybe it’ll get better. That he’ll at least get used to seeing Derek with the dog and it’ll be easier to deal with. That never happens. He spends months having to watch Derek and Chip together. Whether it be falling asleep cuddling on the couch or chasing each other around the yard or Derek teaching him to shake. It’s all adorable and Theo hates it. He hates it because each time he sees them together it just makes him want Derek more. And he knows that’s not an option. Derek is his friend and his housemate. Nothing more. No matter much Theo wishes there was.

So he has to watch Derek be adorable with the dog and cuddle with him on the couch, and yeah sometimes Theo wishes it was him there with Derek. Not that he’d ever deny the dog cuddles. They could share.

Right now though, Derek is sitting on the couch and Chip is resting on the rug in front of Theo’s favorite chair.

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Why is he named chip?” Theo asks, staring over at the dog.

“Because I like Chip,” Derek says. “Chip and Dale was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid.”

Theo nods. It’s a reasonable explanation, “You know, I never knew where they got their names from.”

The change in Derek is instant. His whole face lights up as he sits up straighter on the couch. He pats the seat next to him and grabs his phone. Theo is confused but walks towards Derek nonetheless. He plans to just look at whatever Derek has to show him but Derek pulls him down into the seat right next to him.

“Okay so check this out,” Derek moves his phone so that Theo can see the picture of Chip and Dale currently on the screen. “Dale has this gap between his teeth and a big red nose. Chip is called Chip because he has a small nose that resembles a chocolate chip.”

“Huh,” Theo says, looking from the picture up to Derek. His words trail off when he realizes just how close Derek’s face is and how happy he looks. Derek’s smile softens as his eyes search Theo’s face and then he’s leaning in. Theo feels like he’s going to combust. _Derek’s going to kiss me_.

There’s a soft brush of lips against his own. Too soft. Theo leans forward, chasing the feeling. Needing more. Then there’s a bark and paws on his chest and Theo is so startled he bites down. He’s momentarily confused when he tastes blood and thinks he bit his own lip and just didn’t feel it. Until he remembers. He pulls back with a look of horror, watching as Derek brings a hand up to his mouth and pulls it away to reveal a splattering of blood.

“Derek…”

Derek shakes his head and stands up, “It’s fine, Theo.”

“It’s not fine,” Theo says, “I _bit_ you. You’re _bleeding._ ”

“It’s already starting to heal,” Derek tells him. “I just need to get cleaned up.”

Theo watches Derek walk away before leaning back on the couch. He can’t believe he’d finally kissed Derek and then he had to go and bite him. And not the sexy biting that he always figured Derek would be into. No. It had to be the kind that actually hurt Derek. Now he’ll be lucky if Derek ever wants to kiss him again.

He hears a whine from the floor and looks down to see Chip staring at him. Theo narrows his eyes at the dog. He’d had a chance with Derek and the dog had to go and ruin it. But it’s hard to be mad when he’s watching with wide eyes, and looking almost regretful. It’s not as if he _knew_ what he was doing.

“Don’t be mad at Chip,” Derek pleads as he walks back into the room. “He was just…”

“I know, Der,” Theo says, even though he really isn’t sure what he knows. He stands up and walks towards Derek. “Why would I be mad?”

“Because he just interrupted what I’m sure would have been a spectacular kiss. And you don’t like him,” Derek says.

Theo wants to focus on the kissing part. He does. But instead he finds himself stuck on something else, “Why do you think I don’t like Chip?”

“Because you’re always glaring at him,” Derek says. “I thought maybe you just weren’t a dog person…”

“Derek,” Theo says, his lips twitching up into a smile as he comes to stand in front of him. “I wasn’t glaring at Chip because I don’t like him.”

“Then why?” Derek asks.

“Because I like _you_ ,” Theo says, exasperation seeping into his voice. “I like you so much. Hell I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you at this point. And you and Chip you’re just… god you’re so adorable. And you treat him so well. It’s unfair.”

“Unfair?”

“Yes! Because it made me want you even more. Especially when you called him _ours_. I realized just how much I wanted that. I wanted us to have a dog and this to be our home and for us to be domestic and cuddle and make dinner together. And it was unfair because I thought I never stood a chance.”

Derek’s gaze stays fixed on Theo and his jaw is slack as he steps closer, “Theo, you always did. You’ve had all that.”

“I know, but I never thought it could mean anything. At least not what I wanted it to,” Theo admits.

“What do you want it to mean?”

“I already told you I’m in love with you, alright? I think it’s pretty clear that means I want to be with you. I mean if you want to.” Theo says, his voice wavering around the words, no matter how sure he tries to sound. He knows Derek kissed him but there’s still part of him that’s afraid that’s all it was.

Derek’s face softens as he hesitantly raises a hand to cup Theo’s cheek, “Of course I want to be with you, Theo. I love you. I have for a while. I’m pretty sure I fell in love with you the moment you first fell asleep on my arm.”

“That was so long ago,” Theo says, his brow creasing in disbelief.

“I know. I just never wanted to push you,” Derek tells him.

“But then you kissed me.”

Derek ducks his head, a light blush coating his cheeks. “I did. But God Theo, you looked so soft and happy. And the way you were looking at me… I just had to kiss you.”

“How did I look at you?” Theo asks. He thinks he knows, but he still needs to hear Derek say it.

“Like you loved me,” Derek says, “Like I’m something important to you.”

“You are, Der,” Theo breathes, “You’re so important.”

Derek kisses him again, slow and tender, nothing like the quick press of lips from before. Theo melts into it, bringing one of his hands up to tangle in Derek’s hair and pull him closer. He feels Derek smile against his lips and can’t stop his own smile from spreading across his face. Shortly followed by giddy laughter as he places kiss after kiss to Derek’s lips.

“Am I dreaming?” Derek asks, the grin never leaving his lips as he runs his fingers through the slight stubble on Theo’s jaw.

“If you are I’m right there with you,” Theo says, leaning into the touch. “But as good as a kisser I’m sure dream you is, I’m pretty sure this is better.”

“Why is that?” Derek asks.

“Because it’s real,” Theo says, “It’s real and you love me and I love you. No dream can beat that.”

“No it definitely can’t,” Derek agrees.

The next morning Theo wakes up surrounded by warmth. He opens his eyes to see Derek smiling softly down at him, his fingers dancing across the skin of Theo’s hip. Chip is there, laying across both of their feet and sleeping soundly. Derek looks from the dog back to Theo before moving in and nuzzling into Theo’s neck, and placing soft kisses to his skin. Neither one make a move to get out of bed yet. Which is fine by Theo. He has everything he needs right here with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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